The Zeppelin Fighters by Arch Whitehouse – 1960 Doubleday First Edition with Dust Jacket

This is a first edition copy of The Zeppelin Fighters by Arch Whitehouse, published in 1960 by Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York. The book presents a dramatic and detailed chronicle of the German Zeppelin raids over England and France during World War I, and the courageous Allied fighter pilots who engaged them in the skies. Illustrated with 32 rare photographs, it remains one of the definitive works on this fascinating and often overlooked aspect of aerial warfare.

Physical Description:

• Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Garden City, NY, 1960

• Author: Arch Whitehouse (WWI veteran and prolific aviation historian)

• Pages: 302, including index and bibliography

• Binding: Green cloth hardcover with gilt lettering to spine

• Dust Jacket: Original jacket present, with artwork of British biplanes intercepting a Zeppelin. The jacket shows light wear, edge rubbing, and small stains but remains intact and protected in mylar.

• Condition: Book itself is in very good condition, clean and tight, with only minimal handling wear. Pages are bright, with no writing or foxing noted.

Contents:

• The Opposition – Introduction to Zeppelin operations and British defenses

• The Plans for Armageddon – Early German strategic vision for air war

• Strategic Aviation – Zeppelin role in German high command strategy

• The Defense of London – Countermeasures against the night raids

• Zeppelins in Naval Warfare – Their use for reconnaissance and fleet coordination

• Mathy, the Zeppelin Hero – Biography of Heinrich Mathy, Germany’s famed airship commander

• Zeppelins at Jutland – Role in the great naval battle

• Disaster Engulfs Strasser – Final fate of the Zeppelin campaign

Historical Context:
Arch Whitehouse, who flew as a gunner in WWI, became one of the most respected chroniclers of early aviation history. This work combines first-hand knowledge with extensive research, providing a vivid account of Zeppelin warfare and the Allied efforts to counter it. The book highlights figures like Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Mathy and the young RFC and RNAS pilots who braved fire and darkness to intercept the giant airships.

Collector’s Note:
Original first editions of The Zeppelin Fighters with the dust jacket are sought after by aviation and militaria collectors. This copy, with intact binding and complete jacket, represents an appealing example.